i) Field
This application relates to the dissemination of diagnostic analyzer information. In particular, this application relates to a method and system for aggregating diagnostic analyzer related information.
ii) Description of the Related Art
Diagnostic analyzers, such as hematology analyzers are utilized to perform various measurements of the constituents of a blood sample. Such analyzers tend to be placed in hospitals and laboratories. For example, a given hospital may have several laboratories. Each laboratory may have any number of analyzers.
In a typical laboratory environment, one or more lab operators are required to run diagnostic test, change reagents, and tend to other maintenance related activities associated with the analyzers, such as calibration of the analyzers. The number of lab operators required to perform such tasks is generally proportional to the number of analyzers in the lab. To perform these and other tasks, lab operators must go from analyzer to analyzer to determine whether the analyzers are running correctly or whether the analyzers are reporting any issues. Monitoring a large number of analyzers may be time consuming and may require an increased number of lab operators.
The skill level of a given operator may vary significantly, in which case the lab operator may not be familiar on how to use a given analyzer. As such, the operator must resort to reading one or more manuals that describe operations of the analyzer. Thus, the lab may be required to have a repository of various operating manuals. The manuals may have to be updated from time-to-time as determined by the manufacturer. Therefore, each lab must expend resources to keep the manuals on hand current.
Other problems with known with operating problems faces by lab personnel will become apparent upon reading the descriptions of the various embodiments described below.